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Board member defends hiring 2 firefighters with past drug use

Published: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 10:19 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 10:35 p.m.

Gadsden Civil Service Board member Alice Pruett believes in second chances.

At Tuesday's board meeting, Pruett defended the Nov. 30 decision to hire two men to work for the fire department who had admitted to previous drug use. They were among 20 applicants for the fire department jobs the board approved for hiring.

Pruett, a former assistant city attorney, said one of the candidates had admitted smoking marijuana once several months ago. The other had admitted to smoking marijuana several times a number of years ago in high school and had admitted to selling a small amount of marijuana to a classmate.

She said since then, he has not used drugs.

He has worked for the city of Gadsden in another department.

“We personally know him and feel he would be a good employee,” she said.

She said to say he “sold drugs” is misleading.

“That could mean anything from an adult out there selling crystal meth and cocaine,” Pruett said, “to somebody who did what this young man did when he was a teenager ... He dealt with it, it's in his past. That was, I guess, 10 or 15 years ago.

“He's a good employee, he's had no absentee problems. We know more about him than that he, as a teenager, did something stupid.”

She said as a prosecutor in city court she had “zero tolerance” for drug use.

“If someone learns his lesson and changes his life and wants to go on and become a success and do something with his life, then he should take that opportunity,” she said. “How many of you have done something in your teenage years that you wouldn't want splashed all over the front page of The Gadsden Times or that you wouldn't want a prospective employer to know about? I expect there are a lot of us.”

Pruett also said the employee would be closely supervised by Chief Stephen Carroll and would be tested regularly for drugs.

“If he messes it up, he's gone,” Pruett said. “You trust but verify.”

Board member Jason Stinson repeated his opposition to hiring someone for the police or fire department with a drug use background and said many businesses would have that in their hiring practices.

He said he opposed the hiring because the individual said he has used drugs more than 30 times. Whether it was in the past or “so many years ago, it didn't matter to me.”

He said he believes that would be an “automatic disqualification” for most businesses.

Some members of the city council also criticized the hirings.

Pruett said members of the Gadsden City Council are sent notices of board meetings. She said board members would be willing to talk with council members about the hiring process, but they could not discuss specific applicants.

Civil Service Board meetings are open, and information of the special meeting was in The Gadsden Times. Notice of the meeting was sent to the city council through the city clerk's office.

“If they wanted to be here and participate in the meeting, they were more than welcome,” Pruett said.

“I don't know anyone on the board who wouldn't be willing to talk to them,” she said, noting it is illegal to discuss with the council individuals the board was going to hire.

“As far as the process is concerned, we would certainly like to hear from them.”

<p>Gadsden Civil Service Board member Alice Pruett believes in second chances.</p><p>At Tuesday's board meeting, Pruett defended the Nov. 30 decision to hire two men to work for the fire department who had admitted to previous drug use. They were among 20 applicants for the fire department jobs the board approved for hiring.</p><p>Pruett, a former assistant city attorney, said one of the candidates had admitted smoking marijuana once several months ago. The other had admitted to smoking marijuana several times a number of years ago in high school and had admitted to selling a small amount of marijuana to a classmate.</p><p>She said since then, he has not used drugs. </p><p>He has worked for the city of Gadsden in another department.</p><p>“We personally know him and feel he would be a good employee,” she said.</p><p>She said to say he “sold drugs” is misleading. </p><p>“That could mean anything from an adult out there selling crystal meth and cocaine,” Pruett said, “to somebody who did what this young man did when he was a teenager ... He dealt with it, it's in his past. That was, I guess, 10 or 15 years ago.</p><p>“He's a good employee, he's had no absentee problems. We know more about him than that he, as a teenager, did something stupid.”</p><p>She said as a prosecutor in city court she had “zero tolerance” for drug use.</p><p>“If someone learns his lesson and changes his life and wants to go on and become a success and do something with his life, then he should take that opportunity,” she said. “How many of you have done something in your teenage years that you wouldn't want splashed all over the front page of The Gadsden Times or that you wouldn't want a prospective employer to know about? I expect there are a lot of us.”</p><p>Pruett also said the employee would be closely supervised by Chief Stephen Carroll and would be tested regularly for drugs.</p><p>“If he messes it up, he's gone,” Pruett said. “You trust but verify.”</p><p>Board member Jason Stinson repeated his opposition to hiring someone for the police or fire department with a drug use background and said many businesses would have that in their hiring practices.</p><p>He said he opposed the hiring because the individual said he has used drugs more than 30 times. Whether it was in the past or “so many years ago, it didn't matter to me.”</p><p>He said he believes that would be an “automatic disqualification” for most businesses.</p><p>Some members of the city council also criticized the hirings.</p><p>Pruett said members of the <a href="http://www.gadsdentimes.com/gadsdencouncil"><b>Gadsden City Council</b></a> are sent notices of board meetings. She said board members would be willing to talk with council members about the hiring process, but they could not discuss specific applicants.</p><p>Civil Service Board meetings are open, and information of the special meeting was in The Gadsden Times. Notice of the meeting was sent to the city council through the city clerk's office.</p><p>“If they wanted to be here and participate in the meeting, they were more than welcome,” Pruett said.</p><p>“I don't know anyone on the board who wouldn't be willing to talk to them,” she said, noting it is illegal to discuss with the council individuals the board was going to hire.</p><p>“As far as the process is concerned, we would certainly like to hear from them.”</p>